Key jack



Dec. 30, 1

E. QUE

KEY JACK Filed March 19, 1949 FIE- FHlE

L FIE 5 IEIJU FIEJI Patented Dec. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEKEY JACK V Harold E. Queen, Berkeley, Calif. Application March 19, 1949,Serial No. 82,397

The invention relates to key holders adapted to be carried in the pocketor purse. I call the device a key jack. The present application is acontinuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 646,512, filedFebruary 9, 1946 now Patent No. 2,589,571.

One of the purposes of my invention is to provide a key holder whichwill hold a few or alternatively a large number of keys in a compactform which is thin enough to be carried in a mans pocket withoutinconvenience. One of the features of the holder is that a single keymay be selected by feel by the owner knowing its position in the holderand swung out into operative position. Another feature of the holder isthat a key may be swung to a position approximately ninety degrees fromthe closed position and inserted in a lock leaving the holder hanging ina stable position. Another feature of the holder is a provision wherebya key may be quickly detached from the holder as is often required.Still another feature of the holder is a cover which keeps the keyssecured within the body of the holder and by pressure of a rubber pad onthe keys prevents annoying rattle. ment of the invention, an ejectorraises the keys out of the body of the holder when the cover is raised.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing and the further detailed description in which areset forth, for the purpose of illustration but not by way of limitation,an operative embodiment of the inventive thought.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the assembled key holder with the coverclosed on the body and with the latch engagin the cross pin.

Figure 2 is a side view of the channel shaped body.

Figure 3 is a view of the large end of the body.

Figure 4 is a side view of the cover.

Figure 5 is an end view of the cover.

Figure 6 is a side view of the cross pin.

Figure '7 is a side view of the assembled key holder with cover raisedand one key swung out ready for use.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional View of an ejector showing a cam.

Figure 9 is an end view of the ejector of Fig ure 8.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of thecover showing a cam.

Figure 11 is an end view of the cover of Fig ure 10.

Figure 12 is a side view of the assembled key holder of the secondembodiment with cover In one embodi- 4 Claims. (Cl. 70-456) raised andactuating the ejector which in turn raises the keys.

In the drawings, like characters of reference denote like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views.

As shown particularly in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, a thin sheet hasbeen folded into a channel shaped body I. The bottom 2 of the channelshaped body has been cut back as shown at 3 to provide springy sides 4and 5 which may be sprung apart moderately. Into the side 5 of the bodyis riveted the cross pin 6 so that its head T extends loosely through ahole 8 in the opposite side 4 of the body I. A latch 9 engages the head1 of the pin 9 and prevents springing apart of the sides 4 and 5. Achannel shaped cover l0 carrying a pad ll of soft resilient materialpresses upon the keys to retain them in place and prevent rattle. Thecover I9 is held lightly locked to the body I by means of a bump 22 onthe inner surface of the leg of the channel shaped cover l9 which bump22 engages a hole l2 in the side 4 of the body. The cover ID has anoutwardly turned rib [3 for easy engagement by the finger of theoperator and also to engage and hold down a rib 14 on the latch 9 sopreventing disengagement of the latch from pin 6. The rib M of the latch9 also allows easy engagement by the finger of the operator when it isdesired to swing the latch 9 out of engagement with the pin '6 for thepurpose of adding or removing a key from the holder. The latch, 9 is ofthin springy material and has a bump l5 adapted to engage a hole [6 inthe side 4 and lightly lock the latch 9 to the body I.

As shown particularly in Figures 8 to 12 inclusive, a second embodimentof the invention has an ejector lever 23 which has a cam l1 and anactuating end l8. The ejector 23 is lightly riveted to the small end IQof the body I and revolves about it as a fulcrum. The cover 29 has a cam21 adapted to strike the cam I1 of the ejector 23, since the cover 29 islightly riveted at the same position on the small end IQ of the body Ias is the ejector 23, and so raise the actuating end I8 which in turnforces the keys out of the body I.

In operation of the first embodiment of the invention, the cover In isswung through an angle of approximately 45 degrees and the holder isthen shaken or turned up side down so that the key bits swing out of thebody I to a position where they may be grasped and separated by thefingers of the operator. The desired key may be selected by feel sinceits position in the holder is known. The remaining keys are then pressedback into the holder and the cover closed. The key selected is theninserted in the lock and. turned using the holder as a, handle. The keymay remain in the lock, if desired, since the holder is adapted to hangat an angle of 90 degrees from the key. When it is desired to remove akey from the holder, the cover is raised, the latch disengaged from thepin, and the sides of the holder spread moderately to allow the key tobe slipped ofi the pin.

In the second embodiment, when the cover 21? is raised through an angleof approximately 45 degrees, the cam l1 strikes the cam 21. A furthermovement of approximately 45 degrees swings the ejector 23 out of thebody I raising the keys to a position Where they may be easily graspedby the fingers of the operator.

The invention has been described in detail for the purpose ofillustration, but it will be obvious that various changes ormodifications, not herein illustrated, may be employed without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a key holder, a channel shaped body member, a cross pin having oneend fixed to one side of the body near one end thereof while the otherend of the pin extends loosely through a hole in the other side of thebody, a latch adapted to engage a head on the pin, and a channel shapedcover having side Walls adapted to fit over the sides of the body memberand to releasably retain the keys in the body, one side of the coverwhen in closed position pressing upon the latch and holding it inengagement with the pin.

2. A key holder comprising a channel shaped body member, a cross pinhaving one end fixed to one side of the body member near one end thereofwhile the other end of the pin extends loosely through a hole in theother side of the body, a, latch pivoted to one side of the body memberat a distance from the cross pin and having a notch adapted to engage ahead on the pin, and a channel shaped cover pivoted to the body memberadapted to engage the sides of the body and to retain the keys in thebody, one side of the cover when closed pressing upon the latch andholding it in engagement with the cross pin.

3. A key holder comprising a channel shaped body having resilient sidewalls, a key-carrying cross pin near one end of the body extendingbetween the side walls and releasable from at least one side wall topermit application or removal of keys, a cover for the open top of thebody member hingedly mounted between the side Walls at the opposite endfrom the cross pin, a key ejector comprising a lever mounted to swingabout the same pivot as the cover and adapted to underlie the keys insaid holder when the cover is in closed position, said ejector lever andcover having coacting cams adjacent their pivots whereby when the coveris raised from the body the cam thereof strikes the cam of the ejectinglever to actuate the same and raise the keys.

4. A key holder comprising an elongated channel shaped body member, akey-supporting cross pin extending between the sides of the body membernear one end thereof and releasable from at least one side Wall topermit application or removal of keys, a cover for the open top of thechannel member hingedly mounted between the sides thereof at theopposite end from the cross pin, and a key ejector comprising a levermounted to swing about the same pivot as the cover and normally lying inthe bottom of the channel beneath the keys when the cover is closed, andcoacting means carried by the ejector lever and cover respectively forraising the ejector as the cover is raised from the body member.

HAROLD E. QUEEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 690,396 Brown Jan. '7, 1902760,410 Arnold May 24, 1904 1,649,402 Gildemeister Nov. 15, 19271,800,064 Getts Apr. 7, 1931 1,943,844 Slotnick Jan. 16, 1934 2,208,372Kirkpatrick July 16, 1940 2,243,008 Johnson May 20, 1941 2,551,158 QuanMay 1, 1951

